The judge has decided to put Lionel Messi on the accused bench

He faces a charge of tax evasion, and the judge in Gava (Barcelona and Messi’s home town) is investigating if the player could have defrauded more than four million € from the Treasury, and has ordered an oral hearing for both Messi and his father, Jorge Horacio Messi.

Jul 28, 2014 - 2:30 PM

Both men are changed on three counts of tax evasion between the years 2007 and 2009, linked to the image rights of the player.

Messi signing a new contract - archive photo

So the judge as acceded to the request from the Treasury to continue with the case, despite the fact Messi has paid five million € to try and clear his debt.

However the prosecutor wants the case against the player to be archived, and to maintain the charge only against the father. Now all sides have ten days to present their appeals for the opening or closing of the case.

To keep the case open the judge alleges ‘sufficient indications exist’ that the footballer ‘could have known and consented in the creation of fictitious business structure, created only to circumvent the payment of tax’.

The judge recalled Messi had signed all the contracts with the fictitious companies and, in this case, he can remain charged because it is not necessary for him to have full knowledge of all the accounting operations or fraudulent businesses, or what the exact amount was defrauded.